Looks like my numbers were innacurate! The 403 V8 only makes around 180ish horsepower while the 400 made 220. Sorry about that everyone! And thank you to everyone who pointed it out 🙏
Don't be to sorry about it. Those aren't the right numbers anyway. Those are what you get from Google and the Tom-foolery the factory was playing at the time to get it thru regulations.
Just look for the Pontiac 400. It will be very east to turn it into a 400 hp engine with a few choice parts, like say Forged eagle Rods, Ram Air 4 oil pump 80 psi, a 224 to 230 duration .050s cam, Edelbrock 72 cc heads.
Hot Rod Magazine stated the ‘79 TA’s equipped with the W72 Package actually had 260 HP. Detroit had been underrating horsepower since the 60’s. Old Car Memories states the 1979 TA equipped with the Pontiac big block V8 was the last muscle car of the Golden Era.
In January of 79 I bought a new black on black Trans Am without even knowing it had the 400 Pontiac engine. I had ordered a Z28 with T-Tops and 4 speed. It took too long to come in so the salesman showed me the Trans Am which had just arrived. I bought it and found out about it being the 400 later when I read an article in Hot Rod magazine about the Trans Am. I still have it, and recently had it restored. Looks good as new, and drives good as new too.
I had a 79 TATA with the 400 Pontiac back in '82, wait it's in the garage. Guess I still have it. Hehe. Breaks my heart to hear people say they used to have one. Hold on to it, you have a nice one there.
Those were ratings. It was pretty well established the 400 made way over 220hp. So many people want to talk hp, but I think the real beauty of that car was the appearance and t-tops. The superbird decal and that shaker hood are iconic.
When I was in high school in 1980 there was a 10th T/A at the Firestone shop that we drove by everyday and I loved that car. 20ish years later I found one going down the freeway with a for sale sign in it, followed it to the guys house, bought it and it turned out to be the same car! Was not powerful but it was fun to drive and a head turner. Big regret selling it. However, my 5' tall wife hated it as she could not see out unless sitting on a pillow! She was happy the day it went away and I bought her a Chris Craft for fishing.
The WS-6 400, 4-speed Trans Am is still blast to drive... You will run out of guts in the corners before this bird will... Just sold my last one a few years ago... The 400 will obliterate the 403 with no sweat at all...
We dont have Trans Am in my country but I hv fallen in love with the car since watching it in The Rockford Files tv series. The 76-79 models were my fav and they still look relevant till today
I miss mine. had the 79 Pontiac 400 6.6 litre 1o anniversary. it was modified to be about 650hp. no cat convter. straight dual exhaust right out of the loud headers. updated camshaft. racing fan attached, bored cylinders. had to reduce the the racing carburetor with a 4 barrel because mine was a pace car. have to replace the shaker hood with a turbo so it could breathe... was so loud and powerful.
I had the exact same car at 17yrs old paid $700 for it I'm almost positive it had a built 403 in it and a full-time posi rear end it would lay down rubber for almost a 1/4mile to this day I've never driven a car that made me feel so planted to the ground
Nice video, I had a 79' TA with olds 403, not a rocket ship but a great driving car that I still miss today. I would love to find another one to go with my 88' GTA
When you have a trans am with the 403 that give you a lot of options for upgrades. You can go with a pontiac 400 or 455, or a chevy small block or big block, all with factory motor mounts available.
10th anniversaries are awesome. Beautiful cars. I've got a factory ordered 1979 convertible, super rare bird. Try finding one, only 250 made. Ws6 and the 400 manual too.
My brother just commented on this car. Yes, our Dad should have gotten the 400 motor and the cassette instead of an 8-track, but regardless - this was the coolest car in the whole town!
I had one. I bought it when it was 16 years old with only 5,000 original miles on it. I sold it 3 years later when it had 55,000 original miles on it. NOONE WANTED these cars back then. I could take first gear up to 60MPH though. Top gear took me up to about 140 it was pretty aerodynamic for it time!
I also have a 79 10th anniversary edition transam I've been working on, 403 automatic currently. I was doing some reading online and found this forum that has been keeping track of how many of these are left since the early days of the internet. They say there's around 1,800 total left in the US, around 500 of which are 4 speed 400's. Now my thinking is this is possibly counted by what's registered but still crazy to think how many are missing or gone.
Just curious buddy, how did you get that information? I'm not surprised. I picked up a 403 auto in 1996 with 32,000 original garaged miles on it for $5,000. No one wanted these cars. They were dogs horsepower wise. They drive really nice and I think this is the most beautiful T/A ever made, a LOT of these cars I'm sure were wrecked in car crashes.
@@chrisk920 I do alot of reading on forums and seen it on some firebird forum. I was just talking about this last week and I got the exact numbers that was said were left, then the source from which it came from. (The guy sounded credible and this info came from a Pontiac magazine from early 2000's). I think I might have what I wrote in my saved "copy/paste" on my phone. If I do I'll re post it here.
@@chrisk920 So I went back and found the forum to get the exact numbers for the 1979 10th anniversary transams. I was off a little, and also this information in the forum says it comes from a Pontiac magazine from around 2002'. 1800 known 10th anniversary transams left total, 500 of which are 4 speeds. (I'm guessing this is United states #,s) as we know some went to other countries. Says there was only 12 to 15 pace cars made originally. The known cars left amount was from the 10th anniversary registry, and that the registry was shut down around 03-04. There's still the Pontiac historical society today, maybe they have other info (they charge $ for info now) I'll contact them one of these days. I know this isnt holy grail information 😄 but I figured I'd write it for those who care.
Nope! The Oldsmobile 403 only made 185 net hp! The W72 Pontiac 400, was only available with a 4-spd manual transmission, and made 220 hp. Technically, W72 production ended in 1978, but Pontiac stockpiled 8690 engines to power the manual, 1979 Trans Ams and Formula Firebirds. The stockpiled engines ran out in March 1979.
@@MitchGrooms the 301 turbo needs EFI , and rear gears.it was ment to go in the 1982 Trans am which being 500lbs lighrer than the 1981 would of made for a quicker car. 3.42 gears over the 3.08 would also help. Plus think of all that was done with the 3.8 L turbo Buicks. Apply that to the 301.
Very close, but one finer detail. The stockpiled 400 engines did not run out in March of 1979. My first week of April 1979 Norwood built TATA is a 400. I believe the GM bulletin at the time canceled the 400 sometime in April 1979, but cars were assembled with them after April. It's likely that the later than April production units were already allocated and in the build schedule by then.
@@MitchGrooms Correct, but the 1980-1981 Turbo 301 engines were right for the times and that's what we have to remember. The EPA and the insurance industry was knocking on the door of performance full force and not much else in the Trans Am's price range could outperform or outhandle it. Yes, there were of course faster and "nicer" cars, but no one can argue that the 2nd generation F body cars weren't a smashing success. 40+ years after the last one rolled off the line at Van Nuys or Norwood, they are still highly collectable, including the later 2nd generation cars.
Have no fear of getting a 403. I have a all original 79, and when i did a full resto. I built the 403 that could have been. with 64cc chamber rocket 350 heads from 1969. roller rockers and isky cam. girdled the bottom and topped with a custom quadrajet. then tossed a 3.23 posi Q code axle I found at a wrecker. still is oldsmobile butter smooth, but is a tire frying monster now. 13.6 at 110 mph 1/4
I've got 3 speed 400 its very slow. Just got carburettor fixed thinking it was secondaries not opening. Still won't rev about 2500rpm with foot down. Gear box? Otherwise amazing car and a real head turner
If it's a 10th manual it was 4 speed from the factory. I could be wrong but I think the T-10 4 speed and turbo 350 3 speed automatic were the only transmissions put in that year. Sounds like yours had been swapped. Low RPM can be so many things. But hey looking good doesn't depend on how fast you go😁
Google has to be spying at me, I was at a classic car meetup with my '69 Camaro this very evening and was talking to a guy about the 10th anniversary Trans Am, which I had never heard of before and then I get home and RUclips recommends this video....
Yes, but: Finding Olds 350 Rocket Heads with high compression ratios aren't easy to find. Taking out the cat and putting in dual exhaust (NOT headers) with two high-pressure fuel pumps in series (to prevent surging) will put this car way over 350hp and keep the low-end torque to haul ass levels. Advance the timing 9 degrees, make the carb run rich and a shift kit for the TH350 and you're in business. I love the squeal going into second.
The best trans am...decal on the front, bird facing forward, and then on the back of the car the back of the bird decal...I have only seen it once on my xs trans am and actually I can't remember what year his was but I do know that his headlights where flipup ...I helped him replace one of the moters for it to work ...kind of hard to see at night ...lol 😂🎉
A friend of mines neighbor gave him a 400 4spd number matching 10th ann. car for free because his tenant abandoned it. I tried to convince him not to part it out but he did anyway. This was in 1998. I bought everything i could from it for $150 and sold it on ebay in less than a week. The 8track, the steering wheel, console, dash , the shaker assembly etc. I made $2500. My wife thought i was crazy bringing all those parts in our apartment. Until she saw how much it was worth
Awesome video!! Received my driver's license in 1989 and I have to say that the 400 TA was a pretty common sight at the dragstrip and at the Friday and Saturday night cruise spots. I've still gotten a timeslip from the dragstrip where I raced against one (for the record they were pretty slow)
Dead stock, the '78 and '79 W72 (220hp) 4-spd models went 0-60mph in under 7 seconds, and the 1/4 mile in under 16 seconds. Slow by today's standards, but faster than most cars costing much more, back then. Like Ferrari 308 fast. With better heads, and a hotter cam, these Trans Ams were 13-14 second cars. Also, the feel from the drivers seat was pretty awesome, because the torque of a 6.6 liter V8 is hard to match. These were very torquey, low rpm engines, that accelerated hard from 0-30mph.
@@PlugInRides the Heads on the W72 400 were the 6x- 4 and where not the weak point of those engines in fact they were taken from the 350 Pontiac engine and give the 400 a higher CR. The 2.11 intakes and 1.77 exhaust valve and deport haeds were some of the best ever used . The 180 hp L78 was a 16 sec car. The 220hp factory rated W72 which NHRA tested and said produce 265-280 net hp was a mid 15 sec car the real limiting factor is the Gearing 3.23 rear gears and not going to help a car that is nearly 4000 lbs down the 1/4.
@@tomcherry7029 Pontiac and aftermarket companies make/made way better beathing, and higher compression heads. Edelbrock had Performer Pontiac heads, that were based on the RA IV design, and could be ordered in high or low compression versions. The 6X heads were what made the extra 20 HP for the 1978-79 W72. Most American V8s in the mid to late 1970's were designed for low RPM torque, and made most of their power below 5000 rpm, so they didn't need high flow heads. The W72 was rated at 220hp @ 4000 rpm and 320 lb/ft of torque @ 2800rpm, so the 6X heads didn't need high flowrates. To hot rod these engines, they need better valve springs, cams, and heads, to make big power in the 5000-6000 rpm range. Both the restricted heads, and the valvetrain, limited the rpm of Pontiac engines.
That 403 engine only made about 180 hp stock, BUT, the potential for a lot more hp is there. The 403 is a good strong engine. You just have to go old school with it. Take all that smog crap out. It needs to breathe. Put in a bigger cam. Performance intake manifold. Headers and dual exhaust with performance mufflers. Tweak the Quadrajet. Maybe even a set of performance heads. I dont know what the rear gear is on these is, but a 3.73 would be perfect. Then, put a shift kit in that turbo 350 trans. That's how you wake up these old late 70s sleepers. She'll run like a whole new car.
Actually that car made 185 hp not 220. The only one that made 220 was the special package w72 engine and in 79 they were manual 4 speeds. I had a 79 with the 403. If it was the 400 w 220 hp it would say T/A 6.6 and not 6.6 litre but I am surprised an anniversary one has that motor. That 3 speed trans always revved high. If it had 2 more gears it would of been way faster
brought one 1979 tenth anniversary in1992 for 7,500 dollars with only 32,000 miles,tried to keep but it drinks gas like no tomorrow,and l got old and hated seating on the floor and when I sold it there wasn't a market for them.
Hi Jake. This is another great video, though I'm not a big fan of this car. I've been a car enthusiast for a long time considered my current age of 82. I've owned a ton of Corvettes, a Ferrari, a 427 AC Cobra, Porsches, BMWs, etc. In short, like you, I love cars. You are a rare but true car enthusiast. Please don't stop doing the wonderful videos you do on RUclips. My current ride is a Corvette C5 convertible and I also have as a daily driver, my 2002 Ford Focus SVT.
Hey Joe! Man, comments like this are what keep me going! I appreciate you for taking the time to drop me this comment, it means alot my friend 🙏 Sounds like you've had quite the collection!
Nice looking popular cars that handled very well i have owned 2 in my youth but one thing i can say for certain is that they rode terribly. The seats were on the floor you felt every pepple on the road and don't even mention the build quality..realistically if it wasn't for the nostalgia garbage these cars would be worth diddley . You couldn't drive these cars for more than 200 consecutive miles because your back couldn't take the punishment but they do look great.
Your content is top notch as usual! The unfortunate thing is, I think the younger generation just aren’t interested in cars the way we were. It’s gonna make it hard for this channel to thrive. Maybe throwing something new in there, like car comparisons? And you could mix it up by comparing cars from different generations. Or even something as simple as a newer car, but also comparing it to an older and cheaper alternative to that car(a c7 corvette vs a c5 z06).
About 3 years ago I had the opportunity to buy a 10th anniversary Trans Am 4 speed. They wanted $20k but it needed a new interior and engine work. I'm not really crazy about the 10th anniversary TA. The silver is not all to appealing and the 79-81 front clip is a like dislike for me. I didn't know that many 10th anniversary TAs were made. Who knew my fully loaded 1998 W68 Y87 Firebird is more rare than a 10th anniversary TA. 😉
Correct. The RPO code "L80" 403 Oldsmobile VIN "K" engine had 185 HP. The "L78/W72" Pontiac 400 VIN code "Z" engine had 220 HP on paper for 1979, but was rated much higher (around 250-260 HP) by the NHRA when they tested it back in the day.
@@tomcherry7029 Ditto. The Trans Am got you the potential for four wheel disc brakes, a better handling package, a better looking car (in my opinion) and a faster one. Nothing wrong with the Camaro in those years, I just like the T/A better.
In 1979, most definitely the t/a 400 W72 4spd TA. For 1980, The Camaro Z28 with the 350 4spd. Loved the functional air induction scoops with the manuel, would do click clang, when one floored it and shifted to the next gear. 190 hp compared to the 1980 TTA with 205, but that could only be had with the automatic. I had a 79 TA with the olds 403, automatic with 185hp. I had a friend that had a 80 Z28 manuel with 190hp. He would always get me off the line, but at about 70 or 80, I would always blow by him...lol
3:31 220 HP? No, bro... try 185HP.. YES 185 HP and. The Pontiac 400 (Which was only available mated to a 4 speed) was 220. That 403 makes UNDER 200 HP. And it wasn't due to some "emissions equipment" it was due to the ass compression that was due to the 83cc Combustion chambers. The engine also features windowed main bearing webs and Siamesed cylinders making for a weak ass bottom end to round out "the package". Sure, it was torquey off idle, it would even spin the radials... but it was anything but impressive. I had one... it was a fucking DOG. I See you already corrected it, I will leave this here for the other information on the 403.
Correction Jake, the 403-4bbl made 180 horses; the Pontiac 400-4bbl made 220. The 400’s were stockpiled from the 1978 model year. I had one of these. It had the 403 as well. Wiped it out
Thank you. So many people doing reviews of cars older than they are don't know all the facts. The 403 with automatic was the 50 state emissions version. To get the 400 Pontiac engine, you ordered the W72 package and it also required the 4-speed manual transmission. If the cars have the original decals, the shaker will read "6.6 Litre" on the 403 Olds cars and "T/A 6.6" on the 400 Pontiac cars. I love the fact that Pontiac knew the 400 engine was being phased out after '78 but since '79 was the TA's 10th anniversary, they stockpiled a bunch of extra engines just for that reason. (they could also be had in regular TA's, but you had to order both the 4-speed and WS6 suspension to get the 400)
@@Ladco77 Correct, and correct on the hood scoop decals in reference to the 1979 model year. For 1977-1978, the "6.6 LITRE" on the scoop could denote either the RPO code "L80" Olds 403 VIN code "K" engine or the base (180 HP) RPO code "L78" Pontiac 400 VIN code "Z" engine. The "T/A 6.6" always meant a Pontiac 400 V8 from 1977-1979, but in 1977-1978 it designated the W72 version of the engine. All 1979 Pontiac 400 engines were of course the W72 versions so all 400 equipped cars for 1979 would say "T/A 6.6". The easiest way (originally) to tell a regular 400 from a W72 400 was that the regular version had painted valve covers and the W72 had chrome valve covers. The W72 for 1977 had 200 HP and in 1978-1979 it had 220 HP. The W72 was believed to have been underrated by GM on purpose, as NHRA testing put it closer to 250-260 HP at the time.
I had one of these in 1982 that only had about 27,000 miles on it when I bought it. It was a beautiful car with nice torque and handling and lots of fun to drive. However the Pontiac 400 engine was a puke! It couldn’t handle anything over about 4,200 rpm and I ended up putting two engines in it. It was overall more of a heartache than anything else as right after putting the second engine in it somebody pulled out in front of me when I was going 55 mph with no time to hardly even hit the brakes. Long story short the insurance company gave me $300 over the payoff of it and took the car with the brand new motor in it! After that my friend let me drive his 1968 corvette with a 454 cubic inch Chevrolet. I was hooked and then bought myself a 1968 corvette and built up a 454 with all the goodies and realized just what a puke engine that Pontiac was. Great video though, the silver anniversary trans am was a beautiful car!
You had a bad one. I've had a 400/4 speed 10th for 22 years and it's lightning in a bottle. You can't compare a 1968 big block Corvette with a 1970s emission laden car. Two different animals and decades. The 1979 400 was fast for what it was in 1979. Nothing in its price range could touch it and I know plenty of W72 owners that ate new Corvettes for breakfast when both were new. GM rated them 220 HP on paper, but they were closer to about 250-260 HP according to NHRA testing at the time.
Correct, only 1,817 (as he stated) had the 400 in the 10th Anniversary. The 1979 Black SE 400/4 speed is rarer yet at 1,107 made, but if you want the rare duck for 1979, get a Firebird Formula with a 400---only about 346 of those made for that model year.
My dad order one without telling me. Didn't understand to order the 400 and manual transmission. It was a piece of Crap! Sueek rattle and fade paint. GM junk.
It likely was a Van Nuys, CA built car. Van Nuys used water based paint back then due to CA air regulations at the time. The Norwood, OH facility did a better job putting them together and used lacquer paint which held up better.
@@googleusergp Van Nuys was also known as the worst plant for quality (I think ever). It was bad. But now all of those misaligned body parts indicate factory correct. The rear spoiler is a classic example, if it lined up it had been worked on.
@@jerrycallo Van Nuys (closed 1992), Southgate (closed 1982), and Fremont (closed 1982), all in California, were all members of the "Terrible Three" GM plants there. The 2nd generation Camaro and Firebirds were either made in Norwood, OH or Van Nuys, CA.
I had this car in my senior year of high school in 1980. Leather, full power. No T tops, though and it was an automatic but, it was pretty outstanding in performance. These days were the days when automobiles were actually designed and built, not cloned. All you're getting today are Ch!nese clones.
![Coheed and Cambria - Searching for Tomorrow [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/hDsYGLbmadg/mqdefault.jpg)
Looks like my numbers were innacurate! The 403 V8 only makes around 180ish horsepower while the 400 made 220. Sorry about that everyone! And thank you to everyone who pointed it out 🙏
Don't be to sorry about it. Those aren't the right numbers anyway. Those are what you get from Google and the Tom-foolery the factory was playing at the time to get it thru regulations.
Actually the 400 made about 265hp; in typical Pontiac fashion they WILDLY underrated it.
Just look for the Pontiac 400. It will be very east to turn it into a 400 hp engine with a few choice parts, like say Forged eagle Rods, Ram Air 4 oil pump 80 psi, a 224 to 230 duration .050s cam, Edelbrock 72 cc heads.
Hot Rod Magazine stated the ‘79 TA’s equipped with the W72 Package actually had 260 HP. Detroit had been underrating horsepower since the 60’s. Old Car Memories states the 1979 TA equipped with the Pontiac big block V8 was the last muscle car of the Golden Era.
All true but the expense of the forged rods aren't necessary for a reliable 400 hp street engine.@@w41duvernay
In January of 79 I bought a new black on black Trans Am without even knowing it had the 400 Pontiac engine. I had ordered a Z28 with T-Tops and 4 speed. It took too long to come in so the salesman showed me the Trans Am which had just arrived. I bought it and found out about it being the 400 later when I read an article in Hot Rod magazine about the Trans Am. I still have it, and recently had it restored. Looks good as new, and drives good as new too.
I had a 79 TATA with the 400 Pontiac back in '82, wait it's in the garage. Guess I still have it. Hehe. Breaks my heart to hear people say they used to have one. Hold on to it, you have a nice one there.
I think we need to stop calling it the screaming chicken...and call it the Screaming Phoenix.....That sounds better Right !!!!!
Actually isn’t the actual name for the bird Phoenix Rising?
@@Kurtislow1979 Yup. That sound better The Phoenix Rising 👍🏻
Not to split hairs but the 403 Olds with the automatic made 185hp. The Pontiac 400 with the 4-speed made 220hp. Still a beautiful Trans Am!
Those were ratings. It was pretty well established the 400 made way over 220hp. So many people want to talk hp, but I think the real beauty of that car was the appearance and t-tops. The superbird decal and that shaker hood are iconic.
got one in the shop right now. gorgeous stick shift car.
When I was in high school in 1980 there was a 10th T/A at the Firestone shop that we drove by everyday and I loved that car. 20ish years later I found one going down the freeway with a for sale sign in it, followed it to the guys house, bought it and it turned out to be the same car! Was not powerful but it was fun to drive and a head turner. Big regret selling it. However, my 5' tall wife hated it as she could not see out unless sitting on a pillow! She was happy the day it went away and I bought her a Chris Craft for fishing.
The WS-6 400, 4-speed Trans Am is still blast to drive... You will run out of guts in the corners before this bird will... Just sold my last one a few years ago... The 400 will obliterate the 403 with no sweat at all...
Yep...the stock 400 blows the stock 403 away by almost 2 full seconds in the quarter. 😵
We dont have Trans Am in my country but I hv fallen in love with the car since watching it in The Rockford Files tv series. The 76-79 models were my fav and they still look relevant till today
I miss mine. had the 79 Pontiac 400 6.6 litre 1o anniversary. it was modified to be about 650hp. no cat convter. straight dual exhaust right out of the loud headers. updated camshaft. racing fan attached, bored cylinders. had to reduce the the racing carburetor with a 4 barrel because mine was a pace car. have to replace the shaker hood with a turbo so it could breathe... was so loud and powerful.
that doesnt add up.
I had the exact same car at 17yrs old paid $700 for it I'm almost positive it had a built 403 in it and a full-time posi rear end it would lay down rubber for almost a 1/4mile to this day I've never driven a car that made me feel so planted to the ground
Nice video, I had a 79' TA with olds 403, not a rocket ship but a great driving car that I still miss today. I would love to find another one to go with my 88' GTA
I have a c3 corvette and I see so many interior pieces in the firebird that are in the c3 corvette of the time.
When you have a trans am with the 403 that give you a lot of options for upgrades. You can go with a pontiac 400 or 455, or a chevy small block or big block, all with factory motor mounts available.
10th anniversaries are awesome. Beautiful cars. I've got a factory ordered 1979 convertible, super rare bird. Try finding one, only 250 made. Ws6 and the 400 manual too.
My brother just commented on this car. Yes, our Dad should have gotten the 400 motor and the cassette instead of an 8-track, but regardless - this was the coolest car in the whole town!
Without a doubt, the cool factor is there with these things! Such a presence!
I had one. I bought it when it was 16 years old with only 5,000 original miles on it. I sold it 3 years later when it had 55,000 original miles on it. NOONE WANTED these cars back then. I could take first gear up to 60MPH though. Top gear took me up to about 140 it was pretty aerodynamic for it time!
I also have a 79 10th anniversary edition transam I've been working on, 403 automatic currently. I was doing some reading online and found this forum that has been keeping track of how many of these are left since the early days of the internet. They say there's around 1,800 total left in the US, around 500 of which are 4 speed 400's. Now my thinking is this is possibly counted by what's registered but still crazy to think how many are missing or gone.
Just curious buddy, how did you get that information? I'm not surprised. I picked up a 403 auto in 1996 with 32,000 original garaged miles on it for $5,000. No one wanted these cars. They were dogs horsepower wise. They drive really nice and I think this is the most beautiful T/A ever made, a LOT of these cars I'm sure were wrecked in car crashes.
@@chrisk920 I do alot of reading on forums and seen it on some firebird forum. I was just talking about this last week and I got the exact numbers that was said were left, then the source from which it came from. (The guy sounded credible and this info came from a Pontiac magazine from early 2000's).
I think I might have what I wrote in my saved "copy/paste" on my phone. If I do I'll re post it here.
@@chrisk920 So I went back and found the forum to get the exact numbers for the 1979 10th anniversary transams. I was off a little, and also this information in the forum says it comes from a Pontiac magazine from around 2002'.
1800 known 10th anniversary transams left total, 500 of which are 4 speeds. (I'm guessing this is United states #,s) as we know some went to other countries.
Says there was only 12 to 15 pace cars made originally.
The known cars left amount was from the 10th anniversary registry, and that the registry was shut down around 03-04. There's still the Pontiac historical society today, maybe they have other info (they charge $ for info now) I'll contact them one of these days.
I know this isnt holy grail information 😄 but I figured I'd write it for those who care.
By rhe way the Camaro, Firebird, Mustang, AMX , Challenger, Cuda ,and a few I may have missed were not Muscle cars they were Pony cars.
Nope! The Oldsmobile 403 only made 185 net hp! The W72 Pontiac 400, was only available with a 4-spd manual transmission, and made 220 hp. Technically, W72 production ended in 1978, but Pontiac stockpiled 8690 engines to power the manual, 1979 Trans Ams and Formula Firebirds. The stockpiled engines ran out in March 1979.
that is what i thought too, but great video, I have an 81 Turbo Trans Am, and slow as ice melting
@@MitchGrooms the 301 turbo needs EFI , and rear gears.it was ment to go in the 1982 Trans am which being 500lbs lighrer than the 1981 would of made for a quicker car. 3.42 gears over the 3.08 would also help. Plus think of all that was done with the 3.8 L turbo Buicks. Apply that to the 301.
@@tomcherry7029 great
Very close, but one finer detail. The stockpiled 400 engines did not run out in March of 1979. My first week of April 1979 Norwood built TATA is a 400. I believe the GM bulletin at the time canceled the 400 sometime in April 1979, but cars were assembled with them after April. It's likely that the later than April production units were already allocated and in the build schedule by then.
@@MitchGrooms Correct, but the 1980-1981 Turbo 301 engines were right for the times and that's what we have to remember. The EPA and the insurance industry was knocking on the door of performance full force and not much else in the Trans Am's price range could outperform or outhandle it. Yes, there were of course faster and "nicer" cars, but no one can argue that the 2nd generation F body cars weren't a smashing success. 40+ years after the last one rolled off the line at Van Nuys or Norwood, they are still highly collectable, including the later 2nd generation cars.
Have no fear of getting a 403. I have a all original 79, and when i did a full resto. I built the 403 that could have been. with 64cc chamber rocket 350 heads from 1969. roller rockers and isky cam. girdled the bottom and topped with a custom quadrajet. then tossed a 3.23 posi Q code axle I found at a wrecker. still is oldsmobile butter smooth, but is a tire frying monster now. 13.6 at 110 mph 1/4
I've got 3 speed 400 its very slow. Just got carburettor fixed thinking it was secondaries not opening. Still won't rev about 2500rpm with foot down. Gear box? Otherwise amazing car and a real head turner
If it's a 10th manual it was 4 speed from the factory. I could be wrong but I think the T-10 4 speed and turbo 350 3 speed automatic were the only transmissions put in that year. Sounds like yours had been swapped. Low RPM can be so many things. But hey looking good doesn't depend on how fast you go😁
Yes the F14 prices are crazy. Wish I'd hung on to the one I got back in high school.
I'm ready restored mine
Google has to be spying at me, I was at a classic car meetup with my '69 Camaro this very evening and was talking to a guy about the 10th anniversary Trans Am, which I had never heard of before and then I get home and RUclips recommends this video....
Been waiting patiently for the new C5 long tube/slp exhaust setup bro! Idle, drive bys, revs
Hey bro its coming! Sorry its been crazy busy this time of year for me!
Over 300hp with just swapping the heads out
Yes, but: Finding Olds 350 Rocket Heads with high compression ratios aren't easy to find. Taking out the cat and putting in dual exhaust (NOT headers) with two high-pressure fuel pumps in series (to prevent surging) will put this car way over 350hp and keep the low-end torque to haul ass levels. Advance the timing 9 degrees, make the carb run rich and a shift kit for the TH350 and you're in business. I love the squeal going into second.
The best trans am...decal on the front, bird facing forward, and then on the back of the car the back of the bird decal...I have only seen it once on my xs trans am and actually I can't remember what year his was but I do know that his headlights where flipup ...I helped him replace one of the moters for it to work ...kind of hard to see at night ...lol 😂🎉
A friend of mines neighbor gave him a 400 4spd number matching 10th ann. car for free because his tenant abandoned it. I tried to convince him not to part it out but he did anyway. This was in 1998. I bought everything i could from it for $150 and sold it on ebay in less than a week. The 8track, the steering wheel, console, dash , the shaker assembly etc. I made $2500. My wife thought i was crazy bringing all those parts in our apartment. Until she saw how much it was worth
Awesome video!!
Received my driver's license in 1989 and I have to say that the 400 TA was a pretty common sight at the dragstrip and at the Friday and Saturday night cruise spots. I've still gotten a timeslip from the dragstrip where I raced against one (for the record they were pretty slow)
Thanks Red! What an awesome story thanks for sharing that I love hearing stuff like this! 🤙
When compared to the other Cars in 1979 they were far from slow
Dead stock, the '78 and '79 W72 (220hp) 4-spd models went 0-60mph in under 7 seconds, and the 1/4 mile in under 16 seconds. Slow by today's standards, but faster than most cars costing much more, back then. Like Ferrari 308 fast. With better heads, and a hotter cam, these Trans Ams were 13-14 second cars. Also, the feel from the drivers seat was pretty awesome, because the torque of a 6.6 liter V8 is hard to match. These were very torquey, low rpm engines, that accelerated hard from 0-30mph.
@@PlugInRides the Heads on the W72 400 were the 6x- 4 and where not the weak point of those engines in fact they were taken from the 350 Pontiac engine and give the 400 a higher CR. The 2.11 intakes and 1.77 exhaust valve and deport haeds were some of the best ever used . The 180 hp L78 was a 16 sec car. The 220hp factory rated W72 which NHRA tested and said produce 265-280 net hp was a mid 15 sec
car the real limiting factor is the Gearing 3.23 rear gears and not going to help a car that is nearly 4000 lbs down the 1/4.
@@tomcherry7029 Pontiac and aftermarket companies make/made way better beathing, and higher compression heads. Edelbrock had Performer Pontiac heads, that were based on the RA IV design, and could be ordered in high or low compression versions. The 6X heads were what made the extra 20 HP for the 1978-79 W72. Most American V8s in the mid to late 1970's were designed for low RPM torque, and made most of their power below 5000 rpm, so they didn't need high flow heads.
The W72 was rated at 220hp @ 4000 rpm and 320 lb/ft of torque @ 2800rpm, so the 6X heads didn't need high flowrates. To hot rod these engines, they need better valve springs, cams, and heads, to make big power in the 5000-6000 rpm range. Both the restricted heads, and the valvetrain, limited the rpm of Pontiac engines.
Kool car 😎👍 I have one 79 403 no t tops black with silver chicken 56k original miles
If you have any Trans Am built before 1980 you have a very cool car.
Dream car!
That 403 engine only made about 180 hp stock, BUT, the potential for a lot more hp is there. The 403 is a good strong engine. You just have to go old school with it. Take all that smog crap out. It needs to breathe. Put in a bigger cam. Performance intake manifold. Headers and dual exhaust with performance mufflers. Tweak the Quadrajet. Maybe even a set of performance heads. I dont know what the rear gear is on these is, but a 3.73 would be perfect. Then, put a shift kit in that turbo 350 trans. That's how you wake up these old late 70s sleepers. She'll run like a whole new car.
That one has a factory slap shifter as well. 0:45
454...STROKER...OWN THE STREET
Nice car, Steve Stiffler had a black TA in American Pie, cool car like your video
Thanks bud! I didn't know Stiffmeister had one!
Kid Rock drove one in Joe Dirt
Great video
Thanks a ton man!
😂 Always amusing to see those Rustangs spontaneously flying out of control whenever they exceed 16mph...
this engine puts out 185 H.P. only the T/A 6.6 puts out 220 H.P.
The same exact Kid Rock Joe Dirt Trans Am!!
Yup had 1979 silver 10th anniversary trans am miss the car.
Nice!!
ICONIC😎
AGREED BRO!
Actually that car made 185 hp not 220. The only one that made 220 was the special package w72 engine and in 79 they were manual 4 speeds. I had a 79 with the 403. If it was the 400 w 220 hp it would say T/A 6.6 and not 6.6 litre but I am surprised an anniversary one has that motor. That 3 speed trans always revved high. If it had 2 more gears it would of been way faster
brought one 1979 tenth anniversary in1992 for 7,500 dollars with only 32,000 miles,tried to keep but it drinks gas like no tomorrow,and l got old and hated seating on the floor and when I sold it there wasn't a market for them.
Fun video!
Thanks David it was a blast to make!
The Olds 403 was 185 hp...the Pontiac T/A 6.6 was the 220 hp.
Hi Jake. This is another great video, though I'm not a big fan of this car. I've been a car enthusiast for a long time considered my current age of 82. I've owned a ton of Corvettes, a Ferrari, a 427 AC Cobra, Porsches, BMWs, etc. In short, like you, I love cars. You are a rare but true car enthusiast. Please don't stop doing the wonderful videos you do on RUclips. My current ride is a Corvette C5 convertible and I also have as a daily driver, my 2002 Ford Focus SVT.
Hey Joe! Man, comments like this are what keep me going! I appreciate you for taking the time to drop me this comment, it means alot my friend 🙏 Sounds like you've had quite the collection!
Actually, the Olds 403 was rated at 185hp...the Pontiac T/A 400 engine was 220hp..and could only be ordered with a 4 speed manual gear ⚙️ box
Nice looking popular cars that handled very well i have owned 2 in my youth but one thing i can say for certain is that they rode terribly. The seats were on the floor you felt every pepple on the road and don't even mention the build quality..realistically if it wasn't for the nostalgia garbage these cars would be worth diddley . You couldn't drive these cars for more than 200 consecutive miles because your back couldn't take the punishment but they do look great.
Great video, I have a 1981 Turbo Trans am, it is on my car channel here..
I should b driving that 🚗
My dream car..the year i was born...whora...❤❤😊
That Camaro Z28 does not have a stock 1981 engine in it. They were pittiful in the power department.
Your content is top notch as usual! The unfortunate thing is, I think the younger generation just aren’t interested in cars the way we were. It’s gonna make it hard for this channel to thrive.
Maybe throwing something new in there, like car comparisons? And you could mix it up by comparing cars from different generations. Or even something as simple as a newer car, but also comparing it to an older and cheaper alternative to that car(a c7 corvette vs a c5 z06).
The younger generation is 100% into classic cars. They just can't afford them because the older generation drove up the prices.
About 3 years ago I had the opportunity to buy a 10th anniversary Trans Am 4 speed. They wanted $20k but it needed a new interior and engine work. I'm not really crazy about the 10th anniversary TA. The silver is not all to appealing and the 79-81 front clip is a like dislike for me. I didn't know that many 10th anniversary TAs were made. Who knew my fully loaded 1998 W68 Y87 Firebird is more rare than a 10th anniversary TA. 😉
Here's what was made
7,500 10th anv total.
Only 1,817 with the Pontiac 400, all manual transmission. All the 403s were automatic (5,683)
220 hp was the Pontiac 400 with 4 speed the 403 was rated at 185 hp.
That car has 185 hp.
Not 220 or 180...
Correct. The RPO code "L80" 403 Oldsmobile VIN "K" engine had 185 HP. The "L78/W72" Pontiac 400 VIN code "Z" engine had 220 HP on paper for 1979, but was rated much higher (around 250-260 HP) by the NHRA when they tested it back in the day.
Which would you rather have? Trans Am or Z28? Let me know 👇👇👇
Z
TRANS AM
@@tomcherry7029 Ditto. The Trans Am got you the potential for four wheel disc brakes, a better handling package, a better looking car (in my opinion) and a faster one. Nothing wrong with the Camaro in those years, I just like the T/A better.
In 1979, most definitely the t/a 400 W72 4spd TA.
For 1980, The Camaro Z28 with the 350 4spd. Loved the functional air induction scoops with the manuel, would do click clang, when one floored it and shifted to the next gear.
190 hp compared to the 1980 TTA with 205, but that could only be had with the automatic.
I had a 79 TA with the olds 403, automatic with 185hp. I had a friend that had a 80 Z28 manuel with 190hp.
He would always get me off the line, but at about 70 or 80, I would always blow by him...lol
T/A. I had a Z28, but I still have the T/A
Now you're talking!!!
You should do a review an drive the Ford Grand Torino
THE 403 OLDS ENG./6.6 LITER WAS RATED @ 185 hp. THE 400 PONTIAC ENG./T.A.6.6 WAS RATED 220 hp GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT
3:31 220 HP? No, bro... try 185HP.. YES 185 HP and. The Pontiac 400 (Which was only available mated to a 4 speed) was 220. That 403 makes UNDER 200 HP. And it wasn't due to some "emissions equipment" it was due to the ass compression that was due to the 83cc Combustion chambers. The engine also features windowed main bearing webs and Siamesed cylinders making for a weak ass bottom end to round out "the package". Sure, it was torquey off idle, it would even spin the radials... but it was anything but impressive.
I had one... it was a fucking DOG.
I See you already corrected it, I will leave this here for the other information on the 403.
Nope the 403 was only 185 HP the Pontiac 400 was 220 HP
Correction Jake, the 403-4bbl made 180 horses; the Pontiac 400-4bbl made 220. The 400’s were stockpiled from the 1978 model year.
I had one of these. It had the 403 as well. Wiped it out
Thank you. So many people doing reviews of cars older than they are don't know all the facts.
The 403 with automatic was the 50 state emissions version. To get the 400 Pontiac engine, you ordered the W72 package and it also required the 4-speed manual transmission. If the cars have the original decals, the shaker will read "6.6 Litre" on the 403 Olds cars and "T/A 6.6" on the 400 Pontiac cars. I love the fact that Pontiac knew the 400 engine was being phased out after '78 but since '79 was the TA's 10th anniversary, they stockpiled a bunch of extra engines just for that reason. (they could also be had in regular TA's, but you had to order both the 4-speed and WS6 suspension to get the 400)
@@Ladco77 Correct, and correct on the hood scoop decals in reference to the 1979 model year. For 1977-1978, the "6.6 LITRE" on the scoop could denote either the RPO code "L80" Olds 403 VIN code "K" engine or the base (180 HP) RPO code "L78" Pontiac 400 VIN code "Z" engine. The "T/A 6.6" always meant a Pontiac 400 V8 from 1977-1979, but in 1977-1978 it designated the W72 version of the engine. All 1979 Pontiac 400 engines were of course the W72 versions so all 400 equipped cars for 1979 would say "T/A 6.6". The easiest way (originally) to tell a regular 400 from a W72 400 was that the regular version had painted valve covers and the W72 had chrome valve covers. The W72 for 1977 had 200 HP and in 1978-1979 it had 220 HP. The W72 was believed to have been underrated by GM on purpose, as NHRA testing put it closer to 250-260 HP at the time.
@@googleusergp Great info! I was specifically talking about '79 model year, but that's good to know for other years as well.
@@Ladco77 Yup, sure. That's why I clarified it the way that I did.
Well as long as we're into facts the 400 was factory rated at 220, reality was different.
I had one of these in 1982 that only had about 27,000 miles on it when I bought it. It was a beautiful car with nice torque and handling and lots of fun to drive. However the Pontiac 400 engine was a puke! It couldn’t handle anything over about 4,200 rpm and I ended up putting two engines in it. It was overall more of a heartache than anything else as right after putting the second engine in it somebody pulled out in front of me when I was going 55 mph with no time to hardly even hit the brakes. Long story short the insurance company gave me $300 over the payoff of it and took the car with the brand new motor in it! After that my friend let me drive his 1968 corvette with a 454 cubic inch Chevrolet. I was hooked and then bought myself a 1968 corvette and built up a 454 with all the goodies and realized just what a puke engine that Pontiac was. Great video though, the silver anniversary trans am was a beautiful car!
You had a bad one. I've had a 400/4 speed 10th for 22 years and it's lightning in a bottle. You can't compare a 1968 big block Corvette with a 1970s emission laden car. Two different animals and decades. The 1979 400 was fast for what it was in 1979. Nothing in its price range could touch it and I know plenty of W72 owners that ate new Corvettes for breakfast when both were new. GM rated them 220 HP on paper, but they were closer to about 250-260 HP according to NHRA testing at the time.
Unlucky you, I have had 6 TAs & all of them were great & one had over 230,000 miles on it without being rebuilt
Not rare. The 400 4 speed version is rare.
Correct, only 1,817 (as he stated) had the 400 in the 10th Anniversary. The 1979 Black SE 400/4 speed is rarer yet at 1,107 made, but if you want the rare duck for 1979, get a Firebird Formula with a 400---only about 346 of those made for that model year.
My dad order one without telling me. Didn't understand to order the 400 and manual transmission. It was a piece of
Crap! Sueek rattle and fade paint. GM junk.
A manual would've been a blast
It likely was a Van Nuys, CA built car. Van Nuys used water based paint back then due to CA air regulations at the time. The Norwood, OH facility did a better job putting them together and used lacquer paint which held up better.
@@googleusergp Van Nuys was also known as the worst plant for quality (I think ever). It was bad. But now all of those misaligned body parts indicate factory correct. The rear spoiler is a classic example, if it lined up it had been worked on.
@@jerrycallo Van Nuys (closed 1992), Southgate (closed 1982), and Fremont (closed 1982), all in California, were all members of the "Terrible Three" GM plants there. The 2nd generation Camaro and Firebirds were either made in Norwood, OH or Van Nuys, CA.
I had this car in my senior year of high school in 1980. Leather, full power. No T tops, though and it was an automatic but, it was pretty outstanding in performance. These days were the days when automobiles were actually designed and built, not cloned. All you're getting today are Ch!nese clones.
this is the same car my dad has, well started with it looked rlly different now